SNOW FRIENDS

Suggesting that romps in the snow are better with friends, Butler and Mcnaughton set a solitary little bear to making a snowman. Soon, Otter and Rabbit join Little Bear—and rather than leave their rotund creation alone while they go off on further adventures, the three construct a little snowman to keep it company. Matching the joie de vivre of Butler’s briefly told tale, cleanly drawn young playmates tumble enthusiastically across Macnaughton’s gently rolling snowscapes, as sprays of grape hyacinth and other early spring flowers peep through in the foreground as signs of a changing season. A crinkly plastic coating for the snowmen adds both visual and tactile interest to this simple, cheery outing. (Picture book. 5-7)